


Keeping him alive

by bellarosa



Category: Call Me By Your Name (2017)
Genre: Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Fever, Illnesses, Italy, Love, M/M, Sleepy Boys, Summer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-25
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:33:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23838388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bellarosa/pseuds/bellarosa
Summary: Elio gets a fever, and Oliver takes care of him.
Relationships: Oliver/Elio Perlman
Comments: 28
Kudos: 98





	Keeping him alive

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this one shot back in October, and i didn't want to post it back then because i thought it was stupid, i still think it's stupid lol. It's been sitting in my laptop for six months, edited and ready to be published but i never did.  
> I wrote many chapters about Elio being sick and it kinda looks like i have a thing for that, but honestly, no, i have a thing for Oliver taking care of Elio, so that's the story how this one shot came to life.  
> Anyway, hope you'll like this one shot until i update FSTL tomorrow. Enjoy t and let me know your thoughts in the comments.  
> Stay safe and take care my lovies! ❤️
> 
> BTW it's from Oliver's point of view.

Elio woke up in the middle of the night, trembling. He was lying in a fetal position with his head on my chest which is how it woke me up. We had just finished making love and simply collapsed naked onto each other. Then he woke up shaking his entire body and it scared me at first, because I had no idea what was going on, then, once I figured out that he was probably cold, I woke him up as well.

“Elio?” I whispered, putting my lips on his forehead.

His eye flew open.

“Hey…are you okay?”

“I’m so co-o-ld.” He said, cackling his teeth.

My brain was working too fast to even gather my thoughts and individually find their place in order for what I had to do first. I thought nothing of it, it was a bit chilly, so I understood it.

Since we got used to sleeping naked all the covers were nowhere near the bed. Mafalda would put them over the sheets but we’d just remove them into the closet. I jumped out of the bed, closed the windows, closed all the doors, from his bedroom and from the bathroom. Then I got the covers out and one blanket and threw them over the bed. Elio was sitting against the board already, almost fully awake and once I gathered clothes from all over the room to dress him up, he fell asleep again.

“Don’t fall asleep on me now babe, come on…”

“My bones hurt.” He whispered though closed eyes.

I found his underwear at the bottom of the bed and my shirt on the wooden desk. That’s what he’s going to wear.

“You’re growing up, your bones are expanding. It’s normal.” I say as I put my shirt over his head.

“Did you go through this?”

“I did. It was a pain in the ass. But I survived, as you can see. You will too.”

“You’re much stronger than me…I mean, look at you. I’m like a stick.”

I chuckle, he chuckles as well but gets it over with. Elio puts his briefs on his own and tucks himself underneath the covers.

“Better now?” I ask him while I’m dressing up myself too.

He nods.

“Come back…”

Elio calls for me when I went to the bathroom. What is it with him? I get that he loves me, I love him too, very much, but if he keeps up like this, whining every time I go to the bathroom…it’s gonna hurt so fucking much when I disappear for good. Okay, no. We promised not to mention that.

“I will. I have nowhere else to go.”

I go to the bathroom to drink some water and then I’m back with him in my arms. Man, it was so hot underneath the covers, but at least he’s fine now. Elio fell asleep faster than any time before.

The next morning, I woke up before him, he never moved during the entire night long, not even when I untangled myself from him and got up. Got dressed, got ready in the bathroom picked up my things and I was off. I figured I should go to town on my own, finish what I have even before breakfast. But I spoke too soon. His parents were already there, eating and having their morning coffee and talking. If Elio doesn’t wake up any time soon, they’re going to go upstairs and look for him, maybe not look, but they’ll knock on his door and when he doesn’t make a sound, they’ll walk in, find an empty bed, untouched and then get worried until they decide to look into the last room on their mind. A part of me knows they know, so that makes it a bit easier but I was still very sceptic.

I rode to town, start working and after an hour or two I rode back home, just in time for lunch. Elio is nowhere to be found. Either he’s still asleep or he ate and went somewhere else. Attic, pool, river, piano, bathroom…he could be anywhere. Again, I thought nothing of it. He’s fine.

I finish my lunch in less than 10 minutes because I was starving and because I skipped my breakfast.

“Did Elio…did he eat?” I ask as I was finishing my cup of water.

“No, nothing. He came down for breakfast but couldn’t take a single bite. He has a fever.”

A fever? Is that what it was last night?

“A fever? Wow…”

“Yeah, poor little guy can’t eat, he can’t move. I tucked him in his bed and gave him some pills. He’s been asleep for maybe an hour.” His mom tells me.

“He just needs to rest, he’ll be fine soon.” I said, trying to act all surprised.

“Yeah, absolutely. Go, see him if you want.”

I took this as a blessing so I said nothing more and went upstairs.

The villa was empty, everyone was outside enjoying the sunny day. I went straight to his room.

Elio was covered in a blanket, back turned to the door, his position hasn’t changed one bit, he slept like he did the night before on my chest. It was very hot in the room, windows were closed and there was no way of any sunlight bursting inside, just the lines from the blinds, and there was a thick smell of alcohol floating in the air, it hit me hard.

“Elio?” I called him softly. If he’s asleep, I tried not to wake him up as I made my way inside the steamy room, making a face with every step I took on the old wooden floor. The door made the sound when I closed them and he shifted in his bed.

“Elio…”

“What?” His voice was raspy.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to wa-…”

“It’s okay. I wasn’t asleep.”

I smiled to myself still standing with his back turned towards me.

“I can’t turn around. Everything hurts.”

“It’s okay. Do you need something? I never would’ve thought you had a fever last night, should’ve checked your forehead…” I said.

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it.”

“Do you need something?”

“You…” He whispered. I should’ve seen this one coming.

“I’m here…”

“No. Come here, I want to look at you.”

I walked over to him and kneeled in front of his face. He was sweating, locks of hairs were sticking to his forehead, lips puffy from eating them, red cheeks, watery eyes, he couldn’t open them completely but he tried his best. He still looked so beautiful.

Elio extended his arm to touch my face. He made a painful face during.

“What’s up?” I ask him, trying to lighten up a mood. He chuckled with such forced smile on his face.

“Hi…” He breaths out, his breath is so hot close to my face.

“So, I heard you got yourself into some trouble.”

“Ugh…don’t even…everything hurts…”

“I know babe, I know.” I try to soothe him by caressing his hair, it’s wet and hot, that’s a good sign.

“I hate this. I’d rather be somewhere else with you than here in this shitty bed.” His voice is now firmer, more serious.

“Want me to jump in there with you?”

“No, no, no…I wouldn’t want you to get sick too…” He frowned.

“Shut up. You’ve given me other parts of your body, and fluids. What’s a little fever, eh?”

“Oh God…” Yup, he got embarrassed because of my comment, so he covered up his head to try and hide it.

I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. God, how much I adore this tiny human being. I was still able to make him blush after all this time, some things never change.

I took my shoes off and lied next to him. It was a fucking desert underneath it but if that helps him then so be it. He needs to sweat to kick the fever’s ass. Me being next to him as his support is what’s gonna help him. He’s a tough kid, he’ll be fine. I couldn’t care less how hot, sweaty and sick he actually was, I just wanted for him to get better, no questions asked.

Elio latched himself onto me despite being in pain. I extended my right arm for him to lie on it. He rolled up in a fetal position once again, this time, his sweaty face was buried in the crook of my neck. I embraced him completely. He moaned against my skin once we settled.

Elio was somewhere between reality and sleep, him and I don’t take fevers the same way. He’d be awake but murmur something, then he’d sleep and talk in his sleep or just breathe deeply. Poor little guy. I wish I could just take the fever away from him.

With my right hand I was caressing his hair but I noticed he’d shiver every time I’d pull a lock I wasn’t supposed to. I pinned him so close to me, the only way he could breathe was against my neck, he didn’t seem to mind it.

“Oliver…” He breathed out at some point.

“Hm? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing…I just…just want to talk to you. Keep me alive…” He grunted.

“Oh, baby, you’re not well, maybe we shouldn’t talk right now. You need to rest.”

“I can’t rest when I’m wasting my time here instead of being with you.” His voice was shaking. I knew him well enough to know that he’s gonna start crying soon.

“You are with me now, you know that right? You’re not that deluded, are you?” I said, jokingly.

“No…”

“It’s gonna be fine. In a day or two, yes, but right now, you need to rest and I’m right here, whatever you need.”

“Thanks…” He whispered against my neck and I kissed his sweaty forehead. Kept my lips there for a while.

“You’re not as hot as you were minutes ago. Guess the pill is working.”

Silence.

“Mom told you?” He breathed out.

“She sent me up here to see you.”

“She did?”

“Mhm…I took it as a blessing and came up here.”

“That’s nice…” And then he fell asleep.

I looked around his room and set my eyes on the table next to his head. There were all sorts of pills, for the pain, for the fever, nose drops, wash cloths, some alcohol to rub his chest and a thermometer. Next to that pile, there was a pile of books. I took one out and opened it with one hand, in the other one I held Elio’s head. It looked like a total mess which told me he either read it many times, or he read it religiously. There were writings on every page, some important notes, his name, some letters, symbols, nothing relevant.

His watch was also there, I took a look at it. It was almost 5 in the afternoon. I’ve been up here for couple of hours, he hasn’t moved one bit. I took couple of naps but I’d wake up after couple of minutes, Elio was still very dead sleeping.

He woke up briefly at one point.

“I need to go to the bathroom.” He said into my skin.

It awoke me, I totally spaced out when he finally spoke a long sentence.

“You need help?” I asked him, yawning and rubbing my eyes.

“Umm…fuck…I think so. I can’t get up.”

“Come on then…”

I stood up and went over to his side to help him get up. Elio grunted once I removed the covers and the air hit his body. He wanted to cry but didn’t. He was in a pajama bottoms and a long sleeved blouse. It took everything he had to extend his arms towards me. His skin was warm, not hot, just warm. The fever’s probably done but it can come back.

I gently helped him sit up and then stand to walk with one of my hands gently holding him around his waist and he held me the same way. Step by step and we made it into the bathroom. I kept encouraging him, it’s what he needed.

“I can…I can do it…by myself.” He stuttered. He was cold.

“No way. I’m not leaving you here. I’ll be in the bathroom with you…”

“But, you’ll…”

“What? I’ll see you pee? Elio, I’ve seen you come, I’ve seen your face decorated with my come and swallow it. Trust me, this is nothing.”

He blushed again. Or was that just the fever talking. But this was the truth.

“This is different.” He said, trying to fight me off of him.

“And how exactly? Hm? We all have it. It’s a natural habit humans and animals have. It’s normal. You take it out and from the tiny hole on top…some fluid comes out. Yellow or white, it doesn’t matter. I’m staying here.”

I took him to the toilette, lifted up the seat, lowered his pajama bottoms to his thighs and let him do the rest while I stood behind him, back turned towards him. He deserves at least a little bit of privacy. But it was totally unnecessary. Privacy? From me? Think again, babe.

Once he was done, I walked over and flushed so he doesn’t pull a muscle or something. Then I helped him wash his hands.

After that I took him to back to bed again, we lied like we did minutes earlier and he fell asleep instantly.

Somewhere in the middle of the evening, I heard Mafalda’s bell, it woke me up but Elio didn’t move at all. It must’ve been 8 in the evening and I wasn’t even hungry. If someone comes upstairs and looks for me and finds me here…I’m screwed. But hours had passed and no one came up to check on him. Guess they knew I was with him all along and they trusted me with him. Good to know.

While everyone was downstairs talking and laughing, I was tired of sleeping, so I got up and went to take a shower, changed into some clean clothes, washed my face and my teeth…basically, I got ready for bed because this is where I’d be sleeping apparently. A big guy like me, in a small bed like this one…I had to suck it up for Elio’s sake.

He was still shaking when I got out and got dressed up. So I took his temperature, and as I was waiting for it to come up I went to the bathroom again and washed the cloth so I could put on his body regardless of the number on the stick. He kept murmuring stuff in his sleep, or in the space between reality and sleep, I couldn’t understand him but my heart broke when I saw him like that. I just wanted for him to get better and go back to his old self.

He had a fever again, a high one this time.

“Elio…baby, wake up, you have a fever.” I touched his hip through the cover and shook him.

Elio opened his eyes and I could instantly see that they were watery, if I were to look closely, I’d see steam evaporating from his body.

“I’m…thirsty…”

“Oh, okay. Here…” I grabbed a cup of water that was there and the pill against the fever and handed it to him, “Drink this.”

“Thanks…” He whispered.

“Never thank someone when they offer you medication.”

He nodded and continued drinking water.

“More?”

He nodded again, and I went to the bathroom and filled the cup, then handed it to him and watched him drink it. After that I put the wash cloth on his forehead and he went back to sleep. Of course, he fought with the cloth and eventually gave in. Then he woke up couple of minutes later, he thought he had been sleeping for hours, but he was just hungry and I gave him some food that was there on the table. He seemed to be getting better, he looked better, he was still a bit warm, but he was sitting and eating on his own. After that, he went right back to sleep, and so did I.

A mini heart attack stroke me when someone did in fact walk into the room. I was lying on my side, facing Elio whose back was turned towards the door. It was his mother. First I opened one eye to see what will happen to an image of us sharing a bed, but she just stood there, she looked pleased, there was a smile on her face. I couldn’t hide it, better see what happens now. So I lifted my head to show her that I’m awake, and in shock.

“Oh, mrs P, I…” I whispered.

She extended her arm to stop me from talking.

“It’s fine, Oliver, it’s fine. Go back to sleep.” She said smiling.

She stood there with a smile and watched me as I ran a hand down her son’s side. I turned around and switched the light on. It was so nice seeing some light in the room after being in the darkness the entire day.

“How is he?” She whispered, somehow never taking the smile off of her face.

“Still very warm. I put a cloth on his forehead, gave him a pill when I measured his temperature…he drank a lot of water, oh and he ate one biscuit.” I touched his forehead.

“Seriously?”

“Yeah…” I nodded, repositioning on my elbow.

“That’s amazing, it’s more than I begged him to do the entire day long.” She said.

“He’s been asleep the entire time. Last night he, um…” Oh shit.

“It’s okay, you don’t have to worry about it. What happened last night?”

“He, um…he was freezing. When I left him this morning he seemed fine.” I was feeling nervous about talking to her about this. Should’ve reacted last night. I was afraid she’d lose her shit and attack me for not doing anything sooner.

“It strikes him when he least expects it.” She said.

We fell silent, she just stood here and watched over us. I was trying not to look at him with her there, but I seriously couldn’t. He could wake up any second now.

“How do you fit in the tiny bed, Oliver?” She joked, trying to talk about the silliest of things to let me know I have yet another blessing.

“I’m managing. I just want him to get better…” I chuckled, then felt sentimental.

“He will, soon. Just keep up what you’re doing. You’re the only one he’s reacting to. It’s a World War Three whenever he’s like this. It’s a miracle, I’ll tell you that.”

And then Elio shifted and woke up. His eyes flew opened and then fell shut after seeing the light in the room.

“Shhh, sleep, sleep…” I caress his back and his hair to calm him down.

“Water…” He grunted.

“Elio, baby…how are you doing?”

His eyes flew open again when she sat next to his legs on the bed where he and I had slept for the past few hours. I don’t know if he had thought that the fever was making him hallucinate or what, but he did not expect his mom to come upstairs and find us like this.

“I’m…I’m a…I’m, um, I…” He was so adorable, so lost for words.

“It’s fine.” She soothed him.

“Here…”

I leaned over and gave it to him and he gulped it in one go.

“How are you feeling?” She asked.

“Better, better…”

I helped him sit up.

“Oliver here has been a great help.” Elio tapped my knee.

“Oh, I’m just doing the essentials. Water, pills, food…” I say proudly.

“No, I’d say it’s his presence that it’s getting you through this.” She said.

Elio turned around and looked at me. He smiled for the first time that day and took my hand in his, right in front of his mother.

“Can I shower now? I’ve been lying here all day, I stink…so does Oliver.” He asked her.

“I already showered…” I whispered to him. 

“Really?”

“Better do it in the morning, when it’s warmer, you’ll feel better by then.” She said.

He nodded.

“Now, go back to sleep. We’ll talk in the morning.”

“Good night mom…” He said when she leaned forwards and kissed his forehead.

“Good night, my love.”

“Good night mrs P…” I said and, on the biggest surprise ever, she pulled me towards her and kissed my cheek. I might have blushed but I couldn’t care less. This I took as another blessing.

“Night, Oliver.” And she was out.

We stayed in silence for a while, not touching, not looking at each other, not talking, just…sat there and watched the door she just closed.

“Did she say anything about…” He began.

“No. She opened the door and smiled.”

“She’s okay with this, with us, right?” He turned to look at me.

“She doesn’t look like she’s against it.”

Silence again.

I was feeling rather good, and happy, and I wanted to share that with him.

“I’m going to kiss you now.” I said leaning against his shoulder.

“What? No…you’ll get sick too…”

“I don’t care, I want to kiss you.”

“No, Oliver…ugh…”

I hugged him with my right arm and pulled him in for a kiss. He relaxed as soon as he felt my lips on his. He was a simple guy who never bothered to hide his feelings towards me, and also, he can say no millions and millions of time but even his mother figured out I had some power over him, that somehow I could make him do stuff he didn’t know he wanted to. Same goes for the kiss, he says he doesn’t want it, and yet he never fought it when I initiated it.

“There…Now, go back to sleep.” I said and pulled him down to lie down.

Elio was back on lying on my chest, calmer than ever. He didn’t seem warm and or sweaty so that was good.

“I’m tired of sleeping.”

He said after some time as I was drifting into sleep once more. God, the number of times I had fallen asleep today, even for couple of minutes or hours…I agreed with him, I was tired of sleeping as well but it was late, tomorrow he’ll be much better.

“Let’s have sex.” Elio sounded so happy, full of joy, and positivity and optimism.

“I see you’re feeling better.”

“I am. I’m sick and tired of sleeping. Now I want the real stuff. Give me my prize!”

Everything was true, but I would never take him while he’s in this condition. He’s been lying all day, taking the pills, sweating, struggling, fighting himself. Sex can wait, I need him at his best.

“You stink. We’ll have sex after you shower. Good night.”

I had no idea what face he made but whatever it was, it made me happy to imagine him lying there all confused and triggered. We both knew I was joking, it’s something that couldn’t have been stopped. He’s not well and with that comes certain things, and it would just make things even worse for the both of us.

He’ll get what he wants after he showers and smells nice again. Period.

**Author's Note:**

> My tumblr is wehadthe-stars.


End file.
